Plated knitted fabric



July 28, 1931. H. E. HOUSEMAN 1,816,221

PLATED KNITTED FABRIC Original Filed March 15. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5pm M JIM Arron am.

J 28, 3 H. E. HOUSEMAN 1,316,221

PLATED KNITTED FABRIC Original Filed March 15. 1928 SSheetS-Sheet 5 W W/ V which this application is a division. The fabric herein claimed is, of course, not limited to the process herein described for produc ing it.

In so carrying out said process as to produce the fabric herein particularly described and claimed, three threads are fed simultaneously to a circle of knitting needles. A relatively strong tension is imposed on one of the threads, say the plating thread, so that normally it will appear on the face of the fabric. A medium tension is imposed on another thread, which may be called the middle thread, so that normally it will appear in the middle of the fabric directly under, and conccaled by, the plating thread. No tension, or a relatively slight tension, is imposed on the third, or hacking, thread, so that normally it will appear on the back of the fabric and be concealed by the other two threads.

This triple thread fabric, in and of lth alil exhibits substantial advantr-rges over the two-yarn plated fabric that is well known in the art, and regardless of any difference in the color of the three threads. Thus, it is possible to knit a fabric having a. facingof silk and a backing of cotton in which the silk comprises only one-third, instead of on e-half, of the fabric.

In order to produce the d sired striped effects, I select and combine w each other and with the three threads sub ected t the di'l'lcrcntial tension described, the methods of operation set forth in the dif'erelit patents aforesaid. so as to provide a novel method adapted to secure the results sought. To practice such novel method, it is preferred to use certain mechanism hereinafter described.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagram of a series of needles, the yarn feed and the needle actuating cam; constituting part of the mechanism which it is preferred to use.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4: are diagrams of needles and adjacent sinkers, showing the relative positions of the three threads as they are knit into, or floated in, the fabric to bring the different threads respecively onto the face.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a partof Fig. l, enlarged, showing how certain needles engage all the threads and other needles only one thread preparatory to forming the stitches.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view, mainly in section, of a part of the needle cylinder and of the means for selectively pressing back needles to produce, in the hooks thereof, the

arrangement of threads shown in Fig. 0.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the upper ends of two needles, one in normal position and the other bent back.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the needle presser actuating jacks of Fig. (3.

Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are diagrams showing the stitch cam and needles actuated thereby;

Fig. 9 also showing the means for moving the stitch cam into and out of operative position to actuate certain needles to cause them to escape engagement with certain threads as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 13 is a face view of a typical threecolor design that may be produced in a plated fabric embodying my invention.

Fig. 14L is a diagram, enlarged, of a small section of a plated fabric embodying my invention, with the three different threads on the face in different parts thereof.

Specifically, and in order to illustrate one of different ways of producing my improved product, let it be assumed that, in the knitting of normal plated fabric, three differently colored threads are fed simultaneously toward a common point in the circle of needles. One possible arangement of the threads is shown in Fi 5. T he backing yarn 7) is under a relativel y light tension or substantially no tension. The plating or facing yarn 7 9 may be under strong tension. The middle yarn 922. may be under a medium tension. The needles f, 2 follow the regular path, so that their hooks engage all the threads. In accordance with the principles governing the operation of plating, the plating thread 72, be ng under higher tension, crosses over the middle thread on, and the three threads are knit into the fabric in the order 2), m, b, as shown 111 Fig. 2, so that the plating thread appears on the face of the fabric and the backing thread appears on the back of the fabric.

In order to make the backing thread appear on the face of the fabric the hook ends of the needles are pushed back, as shown 1n Fig. 3 (see also Fig. 7) causing the threads to roll around and reverse the relative order in which they are fed to the needles. so that the threads knit into the fabric in the order b, p, m, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the bacl:- mg thread appears on the face of the fabric and the middle yarn on the back of the fabric.

In order to make the middle thread on appear on the face of the fabric, the needles are caused to move down prematurely (see the needle u in Fig. so that they engage only the middle thread m. Therefore, only this thread is knit into the fabric, the other two threads floating across the fabric, as shown in Fig. 4.

It will be understood that in order to make the body of the stocking in one color with stripes of two contrasting colors, it is only necessary (in carrying out the process on circular knitting machine i tee illustrative way described) to operate certain (regular) needles in the normal way, to set back out of the normal. knitting plane other needles but operate them also in the regular way, and to operate a third set of needles prematurely so as to cause them to move down premature- Ely and engageonly-one of the threads (inIthe' ingihuttsv"corresponding weaves-10311 poex'amplegiven, the=middle thread). r

In order to produce three-color figuredeffects, it is necessary- (in carrying out-Ethe- 1 process on a circular knitting 1 machine-inthe described illustrative way) to provide-means for seleetively bending bat- 1; selected needles fora predetermined number-of courses and 1 to prematurely-move down into lmitti ng p0- number of courses. 1

In order to selectively bend bfack needles sinker dial oywhich carriesthesinkers' or-web holders 'z', which cooperate with the needlesin the usual mannertoformthe stitches Below {the sinker dial 0 is a slotted jack dial (Z, which" is attached to thets'inker dial.

Pressers e are placed inthe needle cylinder slots afterithe needleshave been inserted and are held in place'by the two spring bands "70. Thesepre'ssers-are so shaped that they'bear againsttheneedles a-t the extreme upper ends of the pressers and al'so at-ipointsgopposite the spring band's'lcf.- The needle cylinder slots are ofgreaterthan normal depthat their upper ends, forming shoulders g.-' T he needles are unsupported above these shoulders, which act as fulcrums when needles are pushed back by the'u'pper ends of pressers e.

The jack dial d has slots corresponding in '40.

number withthe slots in the needle-cylinder.

At intervals and ingroups in accordance with a'pat-tern 'which-is-to he fOrm'ed-in the: knitted fabric, jacks fareinsertedin-the dial one of eight different vertical positions. If desired, there may be two or morebutts onv a jack. The one illustrated in Fig. 8'has butts in all eight positions, whereastheone shown in FigL-Ghas-a butt highest position.

The eight cams g forop'erating butts o in the eight different positionsdo notrevolve one'of the;conr.esponding eight buttlocations on the jacks. Y

iVhen' one or more of theeight cam's'g'are' sition selected needles "for a predetermined I The jacks in only'the second and may be mov'edinto or out of the path of the respectivelbutts:0 o'fjacksf, each of the V eight different cams being inaligninent-with.

n' love'd and lield in the patli'o'f the jacks f-havsit'i'on's -of such "cams, these jacksl will-*be pushed inward and {will in turn rock the corresponding pusher's e, thereby springing 1 the corresponding 1 needles at the fulcrum point "g, eausing their hooked ends to be bent back out of line with the adjacent unpushed needle's'in the normal knitting plane.

In-order -to prematurely move down into -lii'iitting position selected needles, it is prefer i'ed to use themeohanism -disclosed in my Patent's Nos. 1,631,816'and 1,631,817, apart of which is shown herein-Figs.- 9-12.

In Fig. 1 an arcuate group o'f needles )5,

vertically slidable-in the needle cylinder, is shown in operative relation w-ith the three threads 6, p and m, which are fed from a Vyarucarrier a (Fig; 5) that isp-rojected into thethroat of'the latch ring 8.

Int-he same figure 1s-s'hown'a-group of cams, which are constructedin the usual wayexcept' that the stitch cam w isspeciallyconstructed and is operable-radially'bybeing 'car-ried on a radi allymovable slide 1 (see Fig.9), The stitch earn is widened, at its upper forward corner, to provide a partv overhanging the inner side-of-th-e cam. Thepart m, which" is inef- 'f'ect a supp'leniental oaimhas a cam face aligning'with the regularcam face of cam w.

The needles 15 (see Figs. 9 and 11'), whichmaybe designated regular'needles, are of ordinary construction with the usual butts. The needles u (see Figs. 1 0 and 12 ),which may be designated special needles, are of the same construct-ion except thatthey are provided with shoulders v.

ZIfthe-stitch cam is moved out, as shown in 11 'and 12', the camw "is n'ot'in line of travel of the shoulders =1), and all'the needles are operated, in the regular way, "by the enga geinent of their butts with the cam-w, and

"allthe needlesareoperated in the same point "in the circumference of the needl'ecylinder, and allthe needles engage'all three threads Z),

the circumference of the needle cylin-der'in advance of the point at whichthe regular needles-are moved down and-at such point as to engage only "the thread m and escape engagement with the threads Wand b,thereby thesaid Paten-ts 1,631,816 and 1,631,817, the needles inthe frontlhalf andthe'needles inlthe rearhalfl-of themachine'are shown as differently '=0Onst ructe'd =and the stitch cam is shown-as movable into several different radial positions, in order that the special needles may be operated'as regular needles in hnitting the heel and :toe; Patterncontrohed f causing the latter-threads to' floa-tiback'ofthe knitted-in thread m; as shown in -Fig. '14.

mechanism adapted to actuate the stitch cam 10, a2, and thereby selectively prematurely depress needles for any desired number of courses is known. Pattern-controlled mechanism adapted to selectively actuate the cams g and thereby selectively bend back the hook ends of needles for any desired number of courses is known. By means of such known mechanism, or by means of other mechanism that may be devised, to control the operation of the mechanism herein described and shown, the process may be so practiced as to produce fabric, embodying my invention, exhibiting an infinite variety of three-color figures and designs.

In said Patent No. 1,631,817 a preferred, but more complicated, type of stitch cam is disclosed.

A section of fabric knit in accordance with. the herein described process and embodying my invention. is shown in Fig. let, the drawing being made with the stitches far looser and far more open than in the actual fabric in order to more clearly illustrate its structure. In the first two and the last two wales three threads are knit-ted into the fabric, the plating yarn p appearing the face. In the third and fourth wales, all three threads are knit-ted into the fabric, the backing yarn I) appearing on the face. in the fiftlrand sixth wales, only the middle yarn m is knitted into the fabric, the other two threads floating across from the fourth wale to the seventh wale.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A plated knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric and comprising normally plated wales of stitched loops in which one thread appears.

on the face, another on the back, and another in the middle, of the fabric, and other wales whose stitched loops are formed by the third mentioned thread while the remaining threads float.

2. A plated knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric and comprising normally plated wales of stitched loops in which one thread appears on the face, another on the back, and another in the middle, of the fabric, other wales of stitched loops in which all three threads appear in a different order, and still other wales whose stitched loops are formed by one of the two lastnamed threads while the remaining threads float.

3. A plated knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric and comprising normally plated wales of stitched loops in which one thread appears on the face, another on the back, and another in the middle, of the fabric, other wales of stitched loops in which all three threads appear in a different order, and still other wales whose stitched loops are formed by the third mentioned thread while the remaining threads float.

4. A plated knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric and comprising normally plated wales of stitched loops in which one thread appears on the face, another on the back, and another in the middle, of the fabric, and wales of stitched loops in which the second named thread appears on the face, the third named thread on the back, and the first named thread in the middle, of the fabric, and still other wales whose stitched loops are formed by the third named thread while the remaining threads float.

5. A plated knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric and comprising stitched loops in which one of said threads appears on the face of the fabric in some parts of the fabric, another of said threads appears on the face of the fabric in other parts of the fabric and the remaining thread appears on the face of the fabric in still other parts of the fabric; all three threads forming stitched loops in plating relation in different parts of the fabric but arranged in a different order from face to back in different parts of the fabric; two of said threads floating in other parts of the fabric.

6. A plated knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric and comprising stitched loops in which one of said threads appears on the face of the fabric in some parts of the fabric, another of said threads appears on the face of the fabric in other parts of the fabric and the remaining thread appears on the face of the fabric in still other parts of the fabric; a plurality of said threads forming stitched loops in plating relation, but arranged in a different order, in different parts of the fabric; two of said threads floating in other parts of the fabric.

7. A knitted fabric including at least three threads, said fabric having a portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with one of said threads overlying the second and third of said threads and with the second thread overlying the third, and another portion in which only the second thread is knit into loops while the other threads float.

8. A knitted fabric including at least three threads, said fabric having a portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with one of said threads overlying the second and third of said threads and with the second thread overlying the third, and another portion in which only the third thread is knit into loops while the other threads float.

9. A knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric, said fabric having a portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with one of said threads overlying the second and third of said threads and with the second thread overlying the third, and another portion in which only the second thread is knit into loops while the other threads float.

10. A knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric, said fabric having a portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with one of said threads overlying the second and third of said threads and with the second thread overlying the third, and another portion in which only the third thread is knit into loops while the other threads float.

11. A knitted fabric including at least three threads, said fabric having a portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with one of said threads overlying the second and third of said threads and with the second thread overlying the third, another portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with the third thread overlying the first and second of said threads and with the first thread overlying the second, and another portion in which only the second thread is knit into loops while the other threads float.

12. A knitted fabric including atleast three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric, said fabric having a portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with one of said threads overlying the second and third of said threads and with the second thread overlying the third, another portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with the third thread overlying the first and second of said threads and with the first thread overlying the second, and anotherportion in which only the second thread is knit into loops while the other threads float.

13. A knitted fabric including at least three threads all extending continuously along successive courses of the fabric, said fabric having a portion in which all three threads are knit into loops with one of said threads overlying the second and third of said threads and with the second thread overlying the third, and another portion in which only one of the threads is knit into loops while the other threads float.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Penna, on this 7th day of February, 1929. V

HAROLD E.HOUSEMAN. 

